La Coltivatione di Luigi Alamanni al Christianissimo Re Francesco Primo.

With engr. printers' device on title. Printed in Italics. 154 leaves (errata on last leaf verso), 2 unn. leaves (privilege in French, slightly shorter), 2 unn. leaves "Alla serenissima Madama la Dalphina". 8vo. 19th-century brown morocco with large blind-stamped centre medallion, 4 corner pieces and 4 smaller stamps, double gilt fillet around sides, flat spine with gilt lettering and fillets (corners slightly bumped). From the collection of Hendrik D. L. Vervliet. Paris, Ruberto Stephano Regio Stampatore (Robert Estienne), 1546. First edition, first issue of Alamanni's (1495-1556) didactic poem on husbandry in the tradition of Vergil's Georgica. Alamanni, considered one of the major Italian poets, had to flee to France and became a protégé of King François I. Most of his works were written there, the "Coltivatione" being his best known and most important poem which started a revival of literature on husbandry during the Renaissance. Estienne, in this only Italian work printed by him, in fact the only work in a modern language except French, made use of his fine "grande italique" font as text type. - Ms. name "Ugolini" on title, a few spots, general very light browning, otherwise a wide-margined, well-preserved copy. - STC (French) 6; Adams A-409; Index aurel. 102.049; Mortimer (French) I, 10; Schreiber 88; Hoefer I, 495-96; Kress suppl. S.107; Renouard (Estienne) 68, 22. BIBLIOGRAPHY ; LITERATURE: ITALIAN ;